[url=http://ippr.org/images/media/files/publication/2011/11/lost-origins_Nov2011_8240.pdfAn insightful view on just what led us and how far up [is[/ihit creek we really are[/url

"The lost origins of industrial growth" by Chris Benjamin, a former Undersectretary at the DTI

Oh-ho ... it's as if they were starting to align themselves for the next leadership contest.
Maybe a little early for that though.

That's how it strikes me too.
Cameron probably already knows the detail, he's just handing it onto the Leveson enquiry to see if he can get away with it.
He probably can't sack Hunt right now because Hunt knows where the bodies are buried.

It has been said he's been trying to hang on until after Thursday's elections. Not looking a good idea though now.

For anyone who buys The Times / subscribes online - take a look at the cartoon of Cameron "Cleaning up the Mess". Very good! (Frank Spenceresque).

Cameron certainly seemed to be struggling to answer the special question this afternoon, even with all his cronies obviously clearing their diaries to sit next to him - strangely no LibDem cabinet ministers were there though.

If Cameron hasn't learned by now that he'll never better Dennis Skinner in a war of words, then he really is incompetent

Was pointed out afterwards that Dave was pretty out of order dealing with Dennis, being ageist etc. I'm sure Skinner can fit his own corner, but for a PM to do that is a bit poor.

I don't agree with his politics anyway but Cameron is a shabby leader, a terrible public speaker and a poor PM

It's not the first time he's tried the age line with Skinner, it's not that long ago he [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16622894called him a dinosaur[/url. As one tweeter pointed out Dennis Skinner has been an MP longer than Gideon has been alive. All it shows is Cameron reverting to type, a typical Flashman.

In other stories, looks like [url=http://politicalscrapbook.net/2012/04/boris-johnson-news-international-sponsorship-bbc-ing--video/BoJo doesn't take kindly to being linked with NewsCorp either[/url

Have we only got another three years of this sideshow? If it wasn't for the carnage they're wreaking on the country, it'd be the best entertainment in years

Even-handed & fair?

My reaction would be 'If you have nothing to hide why have you marked out names?'

Here's Cameron's bollocking:


Will Cameron acknowledge his patronising gaffe? Don't hold your breath. Mind you, I don't know what's worse, the ageist sentiment behind his "wit", or the apparent fact that he thought answering a question by advising Skinner to take his pension was somehow amusing.

Clever move by the Labout MP. Older voters win elections and the Tory vote is larely amongst the older generation. Cameron is now portrayed as their enemy.

What is really worrying is that "Calamity Cameron" has the final say on shooting things out of the sky during the Olpmpic Games. I recommend no one uses an aeroplane during the games or, for the Northerners amonst us, suggest they do not release their racing pigeons South of London.

Technically not quite true, he cannot order the military to shoot anything or anyone, anywhere. He can merely authorise the military to do certain things, such as shoot a plane out of the sky.

You wouldn't want to be flying back home from your holidays over or into London during the period of The Olympics though would you, not with the posh boys in control, I wouldn't trust them to help me across the road.

[url=http://conservativehome.blogs.com/parliament/2012/05/the-legislation-helping-britain-get-back-on-its-feet.htmlLook at what we've managed to do in only two years[/url

I'll lay odds my comment don't last long on there

"Thumbs up" from me

Didn't count for much yesterday did it? If the results don't send out a clear message then I don't know what will.

Waiting for the Tory supporters on here with their "only local .....means nothing" excuses.

Have the results been extrapolated out anywhere to what it would mean in a general election?

Not sure whether Labour would have made big enough gains to defeat the Axis of Evil/Incompetence.

I think the comeback of Blair shows Labour are on the way to power

Labour projected to get around 39% of the national vote. In like-for-like they're up around 11 points on their last local election showing.

One thing is clear - the LibDems are finished.

But 39% is way too low under the circs. You need to be getting well over 40% at a time like this. Labour still has a mountain to climb to win the next GE (especially if the economy picks up a bit).

Finished behind a bloke in penguin costume calling himself Professor Pongoo in Edinburgh

Rubbish. Labour's current lead would see them with 375 MPs vs 197 for the Tories if duplicated at a GE. That's plenty of headroom given the utter incompetence of the Coalition and the defection of right-wing Tories to UKIP.

The HoC graphics I saw gave Labour a theoretical majority of 68 seats

Yes, but I get the impression most usual Tory voters abstained. Also, if they reverse the Granny Tax before a GE they're recover alot. Their core vote is older people who are not poor - ie those targetted by the tax. Most stupid budget decision ever - although they can reverse it.

The Conservatives were in worse position than this in 1981 and also in 1986 (only 11 months before the 87 election where they won a 100 odd seat majority) and then were dead and buried in 1990 during the poll tax riots, in each case they came back to win the General Elections.

With Ed Miliband as Labour leader, one thing is for sure Labour won't win an overall majority.